The invention relates to computer system user interface, particularly to virtualization and control of input and output of computer programs.
Conventional computer systems provide peripheral devices and drivers for input (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, etc.) and output (e.g., display, speaker, etc.) Ordinarily, application programs which run on such computer systems execute assuming that I/O devices and drivers couple physically to same processing machine where such application(s) run. In certain cases, however, such as networked multi-computer systems, it would be desirable to provide that computer application and I/O not reside on identical system. Prior related techniques are described, for example, in U.S. Pat Nos. 4,454,593, 4,642,790, 4,858,114, and 5,502,839. Such references, however, are variously limited, particularly with respect to achieving optimized network flexibility and performance. Accordingly, there is a need for improved method and apparatus for controlling and virtualizing program I/O in network computing systems.
The invention resides in computing system and methodology for controlling and virtualizing input and output of computer programs. Networked processors provide application, proxy interface and operating system in one machine, application proxy and operating system on other machine, and virtualized input or output coupling effectively therebetween.
In particular, one or more client processors respond to input applied respectively thereto and execute one or more application proxies to apply outputs respectively. Meanwhile, one or more server processors execute one or more applications, wherein one or more proxy interfaces send respective applied input to certain server processors so that such server processors execute certain applications per applied input and generate applied output respectively. Proxy interfaces send generated output for virtual display by certain client processors.